When you have nothing else to do down the road and read Japanese car import statistics, and when you will see a small bump of imports from Europe to Japan, remember what you did read here. Toyota will start importing its UK-made Avensis to Japan, where it will go on sale on September 19 for 2.5 million yen ($31,000).

What will be shipped is the “estate” (wagon) version. Toyota exports 85 percent of the cars it makes at its UK plants in Burnaston and Deeside, and Japan will join the 47 countries worldwide that gets them.

The Avensis is a Volkswagen Passat / Opel Isignia / Ford Mondeo sized car. Japan will take it in the in the Xi trim with the 2 liter 3ZR-FAE Valvematic engine with 152 hp and a Super CVT-i (Super Continuously Variable Transmission-intelligent) transmission.

A previous gen Avensis had already been exported to Japan.

To buy a British pound takes only 128 Japanese yen today, half of what it did cost pre-2008. The only thing Toyota Japan and Toyota UK have to agree on is the volume. The European release says “the vehicles will be shipped from the UK at a rate of 750 vehicles a month”, whereas the Japanese release is a bit more conservative and estimates 300 units a month. As long as the yen stays high and the pound affordable, the Japanese estimate will remain conservative.

Apparently their market research told them people want that butch Venza. I get that this thing isn’t nearly as stylish as the Venza (speaking for the masses, not me as I like this MUCH more than the hideous Venza). But you’re right…if this was offered, I bet it would sell. The Pacifica and Freestyle/Taurus X didn’t sell in huge numbers. Part of that is/was because they’re Chrysler and Ford products. Not a knock on those vehicles at all, but some buyers just wouldn’t look at a Chrysler regardless of the vehicle’s merit. But if Toyota came out w/ such a vehicle, it would work.

It’s even on the same platform as the Scion tC, so it shouldn’t be that hard to bring here. Oh well. It wouldn’t be a rocket, but I bet w/ the tC’s engine & 6MT this wagon could be somewhat fun (and would keep a low enough price of entry to actually sell)

Yep, the Scion tC is the reduced coupe variant with a Camry drive train. The current xB is also based off the platform (close to a wagon version Avensis for the US in corporate Toyotas eyes?) with the last gen Camry drive train, I guess they thought it was a good idea to “stylize into xB”or “sport into tC” the Avensis platform instead of just bringing it over as is. Maybe it would have hit too closely to either Corolla/Camry sales if they left it in its current state?